Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Bread pudding is right up there on my list of comfort foods. Lots of smooth custardy carbs sharpened by raisin and cinnamon highlights. A touch of dark rum (some prefer bourbon) to provide a bass note. Maybe a bit of powdered sugar on top for extra decadence. What’s not to like?

Well, all that great flavor does pack a few calories. And my scale groans a bit if I overindulge. So bread pudding is an occasional treat for me (and, I suspect, for many of us). Which means when we have this dish, we want it to be really, really good.

Fortunately, Mrs. Kitchen Riffs — who is the dessert supremo in our household — has a deft hand when it comes to mixing up a batch of bread pudding.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Macaroni and Cheese may be the ultimate comfort food. There’s just something pleasing and satisfying about pasta enrobed in a rich cheese sauce, baked to golden goodness.

But the versions of Mac ‘n Cheese we usually eat in the United States are “quick” dishes with less than full flavor. Harried cooks generally prepare them from a “blue box” or use one of the myriad stovetop recipes available on the internet.

Those versions can be good enough, and many are kiddy favorites. But they simply can’t compare to the traditional (and somewhat more time-consuming) recipe presented here, which involves making a cheese sauce.

I suggest making this traditional Mac ‘n Cheese on a night when you have an extra 20 minutes or so to spend in the kitchen. The deep flavor this recipe delivers is so good that I’d proudly serve the dish to company, complete with a nice bottle of wine.

When you think about it, macaroni and cheese isn’t all that different from Fettuccine Alfredo (both contain pasta, butter, milk/cream, cheese — and little else). And who wouldn’t serve fettuccine on a special occasion?

My Mac ‘n Cheese is so good your guests will come back for seconds. And probably lick the serving dish clean.